Lamp holder



Inventor": Henry H. Helmbr'i ht), by H 51 His Aztorneg.

H. H. HELMBRIGHT LAMP HOLDER Filed March 12, 1957 Nov. 8, 1938.

Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES LAMP HOLDER Henry. H. Helmbright,Cleveland Belgium-Ohio,

minor ,to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication March 12, 1937, Serial No. 130,467

4 Claims. ('01. 173-328) The present invention relates to lamp holdersor sockets for cylindrical lamps having a contact ferrule at each endwith which the lamp filament is connected and through which current iscarried to the filament.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved socket or holderwherein the circuit through the lamp is not closed until the lamp isentirely in the sockets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp holder whereinthe supporting or holding means for the lamp is independent of thecontact means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lamp holder whereinthe live part of the holder is well concealed and does not present anexposed contact which is likely to be inadvertently touchedwhen a lampis not in the holder.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,attention is directed to the following specification and the claimsappended thereto. 3-

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an-end view of a lamp holder embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a sectional. view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 andshowing on one side a cylindrical lamp in position in the socket, andFig. 3 is a view showing another form of the socket.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a cylindrical lamp havinga-contact ferrule 2 at each end to which the filament 3 is connected. Itwill be understoodthat lamps of this type are. supported between twolamp holders, one at each end of the lamp and that one side of thecircuit isconnected' to each holder. Figs. 1 and 2 show a double lampholder, i. e., a lamp holder adapted to receive the ends of two adjacentlamps when two or more lamps are arranged in a row. Fig. '3 shows asingle lamp holder, i. e., a lamp holder which receives the end of asingle lamp. in the use of lamp holders, if a single lamp is to besupported then lamp holders, as shown in Fig. 3, are arranged one foreach end of 'the lamp. if several lamps are to be supported in a row,then single lamp holders, as shown in Fig. 3, are mounted at the twoends while a double lamp holder, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is mountedat Intermediate points between the lamps..

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 4 indicates a base of insulating materialhaving wings 5 by means of which it may be mounted on a suitable:support, the wings being provided with openings (not shown) to receivefastening screws. In opposite faces of base 4 are recesses} which areopen at ;he top through radially extending passages as indicated at I.This leaves a vertical partition ,or wall 8 of insulatingmaterialbetween the two being provided with a recess l4 which fits overthe head II. On the other side of wall 8 is a second spring head l5fastened in place by rivets [6. Head I5 is similar to head It and isadapted in thesame way to engage with the ferrule onthe end of a lamp.Fastened at the'inner end of recesses 6 adjacent to contact 9 are springcontact fingers ll held-in place by suitable pins i8. Spring contactfingers 1 I! are biased by their inherent resiliency to a positionnormally out of engagement with contact 8, occupying the position shownfor springcontact fingers H at the left hand side of Fig. 2. when a lampis in place in the socket, its ferrule engages the spring contactfinger" and forces it into engagement with contact I as shown at theright hand side'of Fig.

In Fig. 3 is shown a holder construction similar to that. shown in Fig.2 except that it is a single holder instead of a double holder and thesame reference characters with the exponenta" added have been applied tocorresponding parts. The arrangement of the construction shown in Fig. 3will be obvious from thedescription already given. 1

If found desirableJ may provide a cover IQ of suitable construction forclosing the opening 1 .through which the lamp ends are inserted into therecesses 8. In the present instance, I have shown a cover I! comprisinga curved member suitably pivoted to base I as is indicated at 20.

In the use of the invention, the sockets are mounted a distance apart.to receive the two ends of a lamp between them. The lamp is inserted byopening the covers it and pushing the lamp into place between adjacentspring holders, the ends of the lamp entering through the radiallyextending passages 1. As the lamp approaches its final. position, thelower portions of the ferrules 2 engagethe spring contact fingers I! andin its final position forces the spring contact fingers into engagementwith the contacts 9, thus completing connection of the lamp filament tocontacts 9. As the lamp moves into position, it compresses the heads I!toward the walls 8 and in the final position the heads rest in therecesses it in the ferrules at the two ends of the lamp, holding thelamp resiliently between them.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that the lamp must be entirely inplace before the circuit through the filament is closed. Also, it

will be seen that if the lamp is inserted angularly into one socket andthen inserted into the other socket by a pivotal movement, the filamentwill not be connected to the contact 9 of the first socket until thelamp has been turned far enough to bring it almost completely intoposition in the second socket. Thus, the ferrule at the other end of thelamp would not be alive through the filament with the lamp onlypartially inserted in the first socket.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle oi operation of my invention together with oneform. of apparatus for carrying it out. It is to be understood, however,that the structure illustrated isonly by way of example and that theinvention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a lamp holder for a cylindrical lamp having a ferrule at its end,the combination of a base of insulating material having a recess in one,

face and a radially extending opening leading to the recess throughwhich the end of a lamp may be entered into the recess, a contact at theinner end of the recess, a spring member adapted to be moved intoengagement with the contact by the insertion of a lamp 'intotheholder,and a spring means in the recess for engagement with the ferruleat the end of a lamp to hold it in position.

'2. In a lamp holder for a cylindrical lamp having a ferrule at its end,the combination of a base of insulating material having a recess in oneface and a. radially extending opening leading to the recess throughwhich the end of a lamp may be entered into the recess, a contactembedded in the base at the inner end of the rewss, a spring finger addes-at contact, biased to a arsenals position out of contact therewith,and adapted to he moved into engagement with the contact when a lamp isfully inserted. into the holder, and a spring blade mounted. on saidbase, said blade being compressed toward said base by engage ment withthe ferrule oi said lamp to support the end of the lamp in said holder.

3. In a lamp holder for a cylindrical lamp having a ferrule at its end,the combination of a base of insulating material having a recess in oneface and a radially extending opening. leading to the recess throughwhich the end oil a lamp may be entered into the recess, a contactembedded in the base at the inner end of the recess, a spring fingeradjacent said contact and normally biased to a position out of contacttherewith, a spring blade mounted on said base above said finger, saidspring blade flexed toward said base by engagement with the ferrule ofsaid lamp to support the end of the lamp in said holder, and said fingerbeing simultaneously moved into engagement with said contact by saidferrule, and a removable cover closing said. radial opening.

4. In a. lamp holder for a plurality of cylindrical lamps havingferrules at their ends, the combination of a base of insulating materialhaving recesses in opposite faces thereof, said recesses being separatedby a wall, a contact embedded in the wall and being exposed at oppositeends to each of said recesses, a spring finger disposed in each of saidrecesses and normally biased to a position out of engagement with acorresponding end of said contact, a spring blade mounted on each sideof said wall in each of said recesses, said spring blades being flexedtoward the wall by engagement with the ierrules of separate lamps tosupport the corresponding end.-

of the lamp in said holder and said fingers being moved simultaneouslyinto engagement with the opposite ends of said contact by engagementwith said ferrules whereby the ends oi. said lamps are electricallyconnected to said contact.

was H. E-iElhltDFilJGI-ll.

